Gio Lopez injury update: ESPN gives scary update as QB heads to locker room

North Carolina QB Gio Lopez is questionable to return to Monday night’s season opener with a back injury. The injury came on a play where Lopez fumbled the ball, leading to a TCU recovery and touchdown.

Lopez appeared shaken up after the play and was taken to the tent. Max Johnson entered the game in his place. ESPN’s Holly Rowe provided the latest on Lopez’s condition as the fourth quarter began.

“They (UNC) don’t give injury updates, but from what I observed he came out of the injury tent really holding his right lower back and right hip as you saw him walk up the tunnel,” Rowe said. “One of our cameramen told me that as he went through the doors, he just collapsed and started screaming. I know he’s in quite a bit of pain right now, but that’s all we know about Gio.”

Lopez did not return to the game after the injury. He finished the game 4-of-10 passing for 69 yards and an interception. Lopez had two completed passes during the first quarter, but went over two hours of real time before completing another.

Johnson came into the game without any prior reps on the night — but you wouldn’t have known that to be the case. Johnson completed nine of his first 10 passes after coming into the game. This was a major difference from how the game was going with Lopez in the game. In comparison, Lopez went over two hours without a completion between the first and third quarters.

It’s unclear whether Lopez will be available for the Tar Heels’ Week 2 matchup against Charlotte. However, North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick revealed whether or not the South Alabama transfer has a chance, or if they’ll go with Johnson who gave them a spark.

“We’ll see where he’s at. It’s a short week, so we’ll see,” Belichick said during his postgame press conference. “I don’t know where his availability is right now, so I’m going to speculate on that.”

Carolina had high hopes for Lopez’s services coming out of fall camp, and even beat out Johnson for the starting job given his starting status for Week 1. He may have to earn it back in Week 2, and his injury is another setback ahead of a short week with only five days to go until the Charlotte matchup on Saturday.